Man reportedly stole $2,000 worth of wine in Hampton

Tuesday

Jan 29, 2013 at 3:15 AMJan 29, 2013 at 5:40 PM

By Jim Haddadinjhaddadin@fosters.com

HAMPTON — A Massachusetts man who was convicted last year of conspiring to steal hundreds of dollars worth of alcohol from the state liquor store in Portsmouth is now accused of a wine heist in Hampton.

Tadd K. Higgins, of South Boston, was indicted this month on charges alleging he carried off at least $1,500 worth of wine from the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet off Interstate 95 in Hampton on May 25.

The actual value of the 21 bottles allegedly stolen by Higgins was estimated at about $2,000 by Rockingham County Attorney Jim Reams.

The 41-year-old allegedly walked out the front door of the business carrying the bottles in a box, then entered a vehicle and drove away.

Reams declined to elaborate on how the theft took place, noting only that employees of the store were aware of the theft “right away,” and that Higgins was identified “immediately” as a suspect.

The Hampton caper took place less than one month after Portsmouth police secured an arrest warrant for Higgins in connection with an earlier theft from another liquor store situated on Interstate 95.

On Jan. 20, 2012, police were called to the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet at the Portsmouth Traffic Circle after two men stole bottles of alcohol from the building. Security camera footage showed the men removing “several” bottles from the shelves and placing them under their shirts, according to an affidavit filed by Portsmouth Police Officer Richard Brabazon. The men then walked past the checkout counter and out the door. Stolen were items with a combined valued of more than $1,000.

According to court records, the suspects escaped in a beige Nissan Maxima with a Massachusetts license plate. Brabazon was called to the scene shortly after the 1:47 p.m. theft, but he was unable to locate the vehicle in the area.

Police traced the license plate of the Nissan and subsequently identified Higgins as a suspect with assistance from authorities in Boston, according to Brabazon's affidavit.

Portsmouth police issued a criminal complaint in April charging Higgins with conspiracy to commit theft, a class A misdemeanor. He was arrested in June, and ultimately pleaded guilty or no contest to the charge on Oct. 2, according to court records.

At the time, prosecutors recommended a 12-month jail sentence, suspended for two years. Court records indicate Higgins was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2,652.61.

Higgins was already out on bail on unrelated charges at the time of the Portsmouth liquor store theft. He was previously convicted of offenses including grand larceny, larceny of items valued at more than $250 and passing a counterfeit note, according to a prerelease questionnaire filled out by Higgins when he was released on bail.

A financial affidavit attached to the court records indicates that Higgins is unemployed, and has no available money in checking or savings accounts. The prerelease questionnaire states that Higgins was previously employed as a “laborer teamster.”

Higgins is scheduled to be arraigned on two new felony charges in connection with the Hampton thefts in Rockingham Superior Court on Jan. 31 at 1 p.m.

Prosecutors will pursue either a class A or class B felony theft charge against him. The former would yield a potential jail sentence of 7½ to 15 years, if Higgins is convicted. He faces a potential sentence of 3½ to 7 years on the class B charge.